Mitchell Starc, The Greatest Left-Arm Fast Bowler of All Time
When people talk about the greatest left-arm fast bowlers, they mention Wasim Akram, Mitchell Johnson, Chaminda Vaas and Zaheer Khan. In the modern era, names like Trent Boult, Mohammad Amir, Mustafizur Rahman, Neil Wagner and Shaheen Shah Afridi dominate the conversation. But when it comes to choosing country over franchise cricket and delivering across formats regularly, year after year, no one stands above Mitchell Starc.
It is difficult to fathom that the tall, skinny kid from Sydney once dreamt of being a wicketkeeper. Today, he is the most intimidating sight in world cricket. Over the years, he has always put Australia first. Right from skipping the IPL after representing RCB in 2014 and 2015 to staying away again during the suspended 2025 season so he could prepare for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. Starc has never hidden where his loyalty lies.
His value to Australia showed once again in the first Ashes Test of 2025/26. With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood still recovering, Starc took 10 wickets in Perth.
And then during the second Test at the iconic Gabba, he struck in the first over of the innings for the 26th time in his career, completing a hat-trick of first-over wickets in the first three innings of Ashes 2025/26. He dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks and later removed Harry Brook, eventually picking 6 wickets in the first innings.
Mitchell Starc Breaks Historic Record
And then came the history-making moment. Starc overtook Wasim Akram’s tally of 414 wickets to become the left-arm bowler with the most Test wickets of all time. Starc now has 415 wickets in 102 Tests, compared to Akram’s 414 in 104.
The record ends the debate. He is not just one of the greatest, he is the greatest left-arm fast bowler in Test history. At 35, nearly 36, he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Most wickets in Tests by left-arm pacers:
Mitchell Starc – 415* (102 matches)
Wasim Akram – 414 (104 matches)
Chaminda Vaas – 355 (111 matches)
Trent Boult – 317 (78 matches)
Mitchell Johnson – 313 (73 matches)
Zaheer Khan – 311 (92 matches)
Neil Wagner – 260 (64 matches)
What makes Starc even more impressive is his longevity. Most fast bowlers slow down in their mid-30s. Starc seems to be pushing higher gears. Since the day-night Test against India in Adelaide in 2024, he has taken 51 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 18, striking once every 5.1 overs. He took 6/9 in his 100th Test in Kingston, his career-best at the time and bettered it four months later with 7/58 on the opening day of the 2025/26 Ashes.
The Ashes build-up revolved around the availability of Cummins and Hazlewood. Starc went under the radar while he was always around and available. But Perth reminded everyone why he remains irreplaceable, especially when the other senior quicks are absent.
Starc’s career began in 2010. He made his ODI debut against India, then his Test debut in 2011 and T20I debut in 2012. He has since gone on to build one of the most complete fast-bowling resumes in world cricket. Along with 400+ Test wickets, he also has 247 wickets in 130 ODIs and 79 wickets in 65 T20Is. But it is Test cricket that brings out the best version of him.
The Greatness of Mitchell Starc
In November 2025 at Perth, he became the 23rd bowler to reach 100 Ashes wickets, doing it in 4488 balls, the second-fastest after Glenn McGrath’s 4356. His strike rate of 43.0 is the best among the 23 bowlers with 100+ Ashes wickets, even better than McGrath.
He also dismissed Joe Root and Ben Stokes in both innings. He has now removed Stokes 11 times at an average of 17.36.
Day-night Tests belong to Australia and Mitchell Starc is the biggest reason. He has played all 15 of Australia’s day-night Tests and taken 87 wickets (including 6 at Gabba), the most by any bowler. Cummins and Lyon sit far behind on 43 each. His 87 wickets are more than double the next-best tally.
Brisbane’s early twilight helps fast bowlers. Starc knows how to exploit it better than anyone.
His next challenge is consistency later in the season. Since 2020/21, he has taken 56 wickets at 18.64 in pre-Christmas Tests, including most pink-ball fixtures. But in Tests played from Boxing Day onward, his average rises to 35.87, with 39 wickets in 13 matches. At the MCG and SCG since 2020/21, he has taken 25 wickets at 37.72.
In the Ashes 2025/26, Mitchell Starc finished as the Player of the Series for taking 31 wickets, 9 more than the second best.
Since 2025, he has taken 60 Test wickets, out of which 31 have come in the Ashes. At almost 36, Australia’s Ashes hero has never been faster or in better form, credits to the decades of discipline and diligence he has put into his craft.
But cricket is never just numbers. Records define careers, but character defines legacy. Starc has both. He is an express fast bowler who consistently plays all formats, travels everywhere and still produces match-defining spells.
Already an Australian great, Mitchell Starc is building a legacy that goes beyond wickets and averages. He may be saving his finest chapter for the final years of his career and the story is still being written.